Library-fine computer.



H. S. HIRSHBERG.

LIBRARY FINE COMPUTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, 1914 1,149,516. Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT S. HIRSHBERG, 0F LAKEWOOD, OHIO.

LIBRARY-FINE COMPUTER.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HERBERT S. HIRsH- BERG, acitizen of the United States, residing at- Lakewood, in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Library-Fine Com puters, of which the following is a specification,the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best modein which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as todistinguish it from other inventions.

My invention appertains to a library-fine computer by which thepossibility is afforded of calculating at a glance just how much ischargeable on overdue books. More particularly, the idea resides in sopresenting a continuous alinement bent or curved arrangement of selecteddates from the yearly calendar, with reference to a fixed scale of numerals, that a series of accumulated fines in daily progression may beautomatically tabulated.

At present, the requirement for accuracy prompts the laborious and timeconsuming practice of tracing on a calendar the number of days,sometimes excluding either Sun days or holidays or both, upon which theestimate as to accrued fines is to be based.

Accordingly, my primary object is the provision of a device which willobviate the necessity of doing this.

A further object has been to afford facility in operation together withsimplicity and hence economy of manufacture.

The inventive conception is associated with means which are hereinafterexplained and variously combined in the claims. -While the annexeddrawing and particular description thereof, jointly set forth in de tailpreferred and modified forms embodying my invention, it should beunderstood that the means only exemplify some of many diversifiedmechanical forms with which the principle of my invention may be justlyapplied.

Figure I is a plan of a library-fine computer embodying my invention.Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section of Fig. I. Fig. III is a crosssection. Fig. IV is a plan of a modified form'of-my' invention, showingone portion broken away. Fig. V is a plan of an- I other modifiedadaptation embraced by my inventive conception.

By referring'to Figs. 1, Hand 111, it will be seen that the constructioncomprises an Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

incasing frame or box 1. This box is of rectilinear elongated shape andis provided along its middle with an elongated longitudinally extendingslot 2. Above the top of this slot I have written the title of myinvention. The back of the box supports near its middle, an ear 3, andpivotally mounted to this ear is a leaning support 4, whereby the box isadapted to stand in an inclined position, as is well shown in Fig. TI.

The front face of the box is provided on both sides of and along theentire extent of the slot with dividing lines 5, forming in consequenceon each side of the slot, a plurality of rectilinear blank spacestherebetween. The number of these spaces, in this instance twenty-eight,is wholly arbitrary, as is also the width thereof. The upper space, orthat one heading the column to the left, is supplied with the wordsToday is. Extending diagonally downward at the left, I have supplied thefive words If your book was due. By so arranging these words as isclearly shown in Fig. I, I mean them to apply at one and the same timeto all of the spaces remaining in the column to the left between itsheading and the lower extremity of the slot 2. The upper space of thosecomprising the column at the right of the slot 2, I have supplied withthe words Your line is. As so positioned, these three words should be inreading line with the two words Today is though spaced therefrom adistance corresponding with'the width of the slot. The second space fromthe top of the column to the right, and, therefore, the one next to theheading provided for such column, is supplied with the numeral 2followed by the word Cents The remaining spaces are arbitrarily providedfor the exemplifying purpose in hand with numerals in uniformprogression, and in this instance of enhanced value each time by themeasure of two. Following each of these other numerals, I have suppliedin place of the word Cents ditto marks, in the belief that they wouldlend the desired prominenceto the alinement of numerals.

A pair of spools designated as entireties by the reference numeral 6,are rotatably mounted in opposite ends of the box 1 respectively, and,as indicated in Fig."II, be yond corresponding ends of the slot 2.Inasmuch as nothing is claimed for the man nor in which these spools aremounted, detailed views have been omitted. The turning of the two rollsis accomplished through the agency of the shafts 7, projecting outwardlybeyond the same side and preferably the right side of the box. Affixedto the extremity of each of the shafts 7 is a knurled knob S. The shaftsas thus simply mounted, should move somewhat tightly in'the bearings inorder that some little resistance must be overcome in order to effectthe rotation of the spools. A pair of guide-rollers 9 are mounted in anyapproved manner just inside opposite extremities of the slot 2respectively, and so that their peripheries are spaced a slight distancefrom the ends of the slot 2. An elongated roll of paper or otherflexible material 10 is adapted to be wound upon either of the spools ortransferred from one to the other by passing over the rollers 9 asillustrated in Figs. II and III. The middle outer surface of the roll 10is similarly divided by a plurality of lines 11, correspondingly spacedas the lines 5, and hence adapted to come into successive alineincnttherewith. Each of the spaces between adjacent to the lines 11 isintended to denotr a particular day of the year all arranged in logicalbut predetermined broken sequence. In this preferred form of myinvention I have purposed to show the direction of transfer from oneroll to another to be from the upper roll to the lower roll, such thatthe month of January first passes lengthwise of the slot 2, to befollowed successively by February, March, etc. In this preferred form Ihave also omitted from the alinement of calendric designations, theSundays of each week, in conformity with the practice of the ClevelandPublic Library. That portion of the calendric sequence as hasaccordingly been brought into view in Fig. I, has reference to the yearA. D. 1914, wherein the 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd of February chanced tofall on Sunday. It will be perceived that the continuous calendricsequence could be broken by the omission of holidays instead of Sundays,or by the omission of both holidays and Sundays. While my computer isespecially useful in libraries wherein certain days of the year areomitted from the list of chargeable days, it is nevertheless of verydecided assistance even if the calendric designations are continuous forthe whole year, that is, include every day of the year. Adverting againto Fig. I, it will be seen that the top space or that one above theparticular line 11 which forms the connecting continuation between thetwo lines 5 underneath the two headings To-day is and Your fine is, issupplied with the particular calendric designation February 28. All theother spaces which are visible through the slot 2 are supplied with acalendric designation which together, omitting Sundays. continuedownwardly along the roll 10 in ante-dated progression. The last oneremaining to view happens to be, by mere fancy, January 28. It is,therefore, apparent that preparatory to an explanation of the operationof my computer, it must be assumed that the present day is February 28,and that with the beginning of the days work, the calendric roll 10 hasbeen moved downwardly to the extent of one space from its use of the daybefore, when February 27 was between the two headings.

Computations may accordingly be derived with the help of my invention inthe following simple manner: When a book is returned its cover page orfly-leaf at once discloses when the book was due or in other words whenthe period for which the book was loaned, has expired. If the date ofexpiration of the period for which books are loaned in the particularlibrary availing itself of my invention, has passed, a stipulated finefor each days delay is customarily assessed. In the Cleveland PublicLibrary this fine is two cents a day, as disclosed by the alinement ofnumerals to the right of the slot. If, therefore, the clerk to whom thebook is returned finds that it is over-due, she has but to look down tothe date upon which the book fell due, and then glance to the particularnumeral in reading alinemcnt with it, to be shown at a glance and withabsolute infallibility what the accumulated fine properly is. Forexample, if a book had been taken out on the 4th of February and was,therefore, (in accordance again with the practice of the ClevelandPublic Library) due 14 successive days later, that is, February 18, byreason of not skipping the two intervening Sundays falling on FebruarySth and February 15th; the discovery could at once be made that theamount of the fine corresponding with that numeral opposite February 18,was the one to be properly charged. In short, the clerk has but to lookfor the due date stamped in the book, find the same date, and then looknext to it for the amount of the fine. In consonance, if we assume thatthe same book which was due February 18th had been returned the daybefore when February 27 showed at the top of the alinement of thecalendric designations, it is manifest that the particular designation,February 18, would have rested one space higher up and that, therefore,two cents less would be indicated as chargeable.

In the modification seen in Fig. IV, as its title above explains, theapplication of my invention is made suitable for use in calculating feescharged by circulating libraries. This form also exemplifies the mannerin which two consecutive days might be omitted from the calendricsequence where it was the practice not to charge for either Sundays orholidays. It was to illustrate this that portions of the months of Mayand June, 1914, were selected. This modification furthermore disclosesan alteration in the measure of progression of the numerals in thecolumn to the right. While the scale of fees shown in Fig. IV is not inaccordance with the almost universal daily charge, it well illustratesanother possible variation. Finally, the column to the left involves inplace of a single diagonally extending notice, a notice in the secondspace from the top and ditto-marks in each space there below.

Fig. V represents a broken plan view of the upper portion of stillanother modification wherein the slot 2 is provided above to the widthof one space with a horizontal continuation 12 for a slight distance tothe left. The roll 10 is furthermore provided, according to this form,with a second column composed of like-sized spaces, 13, each showing acalendric notice of predetermined relation to that designationmomentarily of direct interest, individual notices being again alsoadapted to lie opposite individual designations. In the present instanceon the basis of a 1 1 successive day period, the single notice which isplaced in view is seen to read Set your 14: day stamp March 14. Thus,when the roll is actuated to bring the passing day at the head of thealinement of calendric designations which are adapted to be visible, myinvention may present the added utility of computing into the future aswell as into the past.

It should be stated that so much of the construction as has been heredisclosed cannot account for more than a single year. Inasmuch as eachyear has its Sundays and holidays falling upon different dates, it isobvious that a distinct roll or alinement of calendric designations inthe way of distinct dates to be omitted, will be required. It should beequally obvious that an especial calendric roll must be provided forleapyears.

My invention being thus described with sufficient thoroughness, what Idesire to secure by Letters Patent and therefore claim specifically, is:

1. A library-fine computer comprising a scale denoting dates, a secondscale denoting fines, said date scale being mounted with capability foradjustment lengthwise beside the fine scale, and means for obscuring thefuture portion of said date scale, the arrangement being such that theaccrued fine between a particular pair of dates may be read on the finescale alongside the earlier of said dates.

2. A library-fine computer comprising a scale having indicationsdenoting selected dates arranged in chronological sequence, a secondscale bearing figures showing the money assessment at a progressive rateof the time intervals of the first scale, said first mentioned scalebeing movable endwise, the arrangement being such that the fine assessedfor the elapsed time between the latest and a plurality of earlier timeindications on the first mentioned scale may be read from the characterson the money value scale appearing beside the earlier time indicationsrespectively.

3. A library-fine computer comprising a scale showing indicationsdenoting dates arranged in broken chronological sequence, a second scalebeside the first and bearing figures showing the money fine at aprogressive rate of the time intervals of the first scale, said datescale being movable endwise, and means for obscuring the future timeportions of said date scale, the arrangement being such that the fineassessed for the elapsed time between the present time indication andsome particular past time indication on the first mentioned scale may beread from the character on the money fine scale appearing beside suchparticular past time indication.

Signed by me, this 10th day of March,

HERBERT S. HIRSHBERG. Attested by VVILLIAM O. BROCKEN, MARY COLEMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

